Authentically Joycelynn

Living Whole in the Kingdom of God

balanced life

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Declutter Your Life

I’ve lived in a world of overwhelm so long, I didn’t realize I was drowning. Deciding to de-clutter my life is actually looking at ALL areas of my life. This includes my physical surroundings, my financial budget, emails, Facebook, and even work.

I read two e-books several months ago by a new Facebook friend, Shirley Harvey. The first was “The Happy Hoarder’s Guide to Getting Rid of that Crap”, and “The Spiritual Guide for the Clutter Buster”.  Both books started a journey for me which I really knew inside, needed to happen. I want you to know; I am NO WHERE NEAR having all my “crap” in order! But I’ve started the process.

I’m a little ADHD, so I can’t start a project and see it through right away. I start something, get bored, and move onto the next project.  At some point, I come back around and finish up what I’ve started. I work on my emails and social media off and on. Sometimes I will have pockets of time and will spend 15 or 20 minutes unsubscribing from email lists. I may take 20 or 30 minutes to look at all those pages I follow on Facebook and “unlike” those not relevant to me anymore. This frees up space and time for me later.

I decided to take a look at our “money drains” and let go of things we really don’t need. Take for instance the Home phone/cable/internet bill that companies neatly “bundle” for us. Ah, isn’t that sweet. They help us with a nice tidy package so we don’t have a separate bill for each one…Well; I decided I didn’t need that package anymore. So, my husband and I received a little gadget from our son in law and daughter at Christmas called Apple TV… It’s a one-time gadget to hook up to the TV, and you can play things like Netflix and Hulu, and other cool things through it.  So, a few weeks ago, I got rid of the home phone, and cable. We ordered a little digital thing from Clear TV. I purchased 2 of them for 19.95 plus shipping and handling. We received them today! We get 26 channels. We have tons of movies to watch through Netflix. I pay for internet only now.  My bill went from $204.00/month to $55.00/month and I increased the speed of the internet! (You have to have internet for the Apple TV to run) I also use internet for my blogging and other business stuff!

simple is beautiful

Today, I was talking about my iPhone on Facebook. Found out I could get unlimited talk and text from Cricket for $50.00/month for the usage of 2 phones. When my ATT contract ran out, I was going to switch. We have unlimited plans for 2 phones, and its $165.00/month. Well, I called ATT today and asked if they had an unlimited talk/text plan, and I found out I couldn’t do it since we had “smart phones”… What I did find out was that we could get rid of most of the data and as long as we use our data sparingly, we could change our plan to $65.00/month… How cool is that? So I did that! We will be saving another $95.00/month.  Wow! That feels SO freeing.

I went through a really crazy DE clutter on Facebook and Pinterest the other day.  I unfollowed about 400 pages I liked on Facebook. I had never cleaned through those, and I couldn’t believe how many I had “liked” over the years I’ve been on Facebook. So, that feels better. I also unclogged my Pinterest account, and only “follow” those pages who really “Pin” things I’m interested in.  Whew!

My next two projects are my office and my kitchen. I’m starting with my kitchen tonight. Would you believe I’ve got about 30 sharp or serrated knives? WHY do I have so many? WHY do I need to keep so many? I don’t!!! So, I’ve got a box, and the “extras” are going there, and going to Goodwill!  Also, why do I have 3 different ½ cup measurers? I don’t need but 1. OK. Out the other 2 go. I don’t need duplicates. I don’t need things I never use. Out they go. My goal is clear countertops, and a peaceful view. (or if any of you locally know where I can donate this kitchen stuff for people to get it free, PLEASE let me know)

backtobasics

I LOVED Shirley’s books because what I realized is that I am hindering my peace and flow by all this clutter. So, I’m back at it again. I’m setting small goals (Kaizen Steps), working toward my goal to work at home by de-cluttering my finances and creating an atmosphere of peace in my surroundings.

What goals do you have? Do you need to de-clutter? Don’t know where to start? Does it feel TOO overwhelming? Let me help you begin your process. Realizing WHERE to start is the first step. I was able to help a coaching client a few years ago after she took the Wellness Inventory. We developed a strategy. She utilized Kaizen Steps, and it wasn’t long until she had her home in order! That wasn’t MY priority for my life then, but now it is.  Isn’t it awesome how we are individuals, and we are all at different places in our lives? I’m organizing my space and my place for a new chapter in my life! What are you ready to change?

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Got stress?

 

I am reading and seeing many articles about burnout and stress in professional women. I think this area is one that people are aware of but are afraid to talk about. Facing reality can be difficult. When we are honest with where we are, changes may need to be made. We may need to change some habits, or make a change of scenery. Many times burnout comes as a result of a disconnect between where we actually are in life, and where we really want to be.

I have to admit my own struggle in this area. Quite possibly, this is why the area of wellness and balance is so intriguing to me. Have I achieved a total sense of wellness and balance? No I am on a journey. After I wrote the article, My Best Life at 50, I have made changes and although not always consistent changes, I believe I am at least traveling in the same direction.

I had an “aha” moment this week as i was looking back over some of the work shifts I had recently encountered. I had several areas of stress but not necessarily because of work related situations. I had been struggling with symptoms of bronchitis. My body was tired as I had not slept well the previous week. What I want in my life is less stress, and I want to have the reaction of calm when stress wants to take over. What I realized is when I am in what is perceived as stressful situations, my coping mechanisms haven’t taken over as I would have liked. My “aha” moment is  that my coping mechanisms have not become “me”. What do I mean by that? I believe in “breathing” and “guided imagery”, “yoga”, and “being present”. However I haven’t practiced these principles to the point where they are my automatic habit, or “who I am”. These attributes are who I want to be and how I choose to deal with stressful situations.

How do these skill sets become our “breath” or who we are? These come about by practice. Practice when times are controlled. Practice when stress isn’t upon us. It reminds me of soldiers who are trained for combat. They have practice drills. They train and learn strategy. The soldiers aren’t placed in battle until reacting to combat is second nature. Their ability to react becomes their “breath”.

Practicing being present, attention to breathing, yoga exercises, or guided imagery are all great ways to deal with real or perceived stress. I just found some awesome apps for my  iPhone. I have yoga DVD’s and just purchased a yoga ball and mat. Practice makes way for preparation! I will be prepared next time I perceive a stressful situation. What about you?

 

Be Well,

Joyce

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Daybreak Journey

It’s early morning, and instead of sleeping late after working 12 hours shifts, I’m up and my mind is racing. I’m on this journey. Some call it a spiritual journey, an awakening, or just restlessness to get to the meaning of it all. I’m deeply passionate in my relationship with God…but there is more that I’m struggling with. I’m moved by the weight of breaking through my purpose. It feels like I’m giving birth to a new beginning and I’m bursting with this new life inside that HAS to be born.

This restlessness has been relentless for 8 years now. I don’t suppose there is a fast start button to push that instantly gives us the answers. The answer is in the process. The struggle. The questioning. The searching. Yet my own insecurity of not being enough, not having enough education…somewhere in the midst of it I’ve felt like I should be a doctor to have an impact, not a nurse. But here I am…a nurse searching for the deeper way to reach humanity. There has to be more than passing pills and following a doctor’s orders. Those are tasks, yet that is what we’ve been reduced to. Time for human touch it seems, has been set aside in order to meet budget, break even.

Finding no meaning in the “American Dream”… the idea that we need to own, and have and get…what is that about? I’m realizing that I want more and to create more, income and otherwise, but not so I can “have” but so that I can “give more”. Realizing that yes we do need flow of income to create our dreams, but my dreams have become about making an impact and providing tools to set people free from their min dprisons, and from their cycles of self sabotage and fear…Being whole and being well is a foreign concept in America.

3 John 1:2 has become a powerful passage to me. “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as they soul prospereth”. There is that connection and need for all of us to eb whole. Our mind, body, spirit and finances. There is also the issue of healing. People want to be healed, but don’t understand that being WHOLE is a better way. people long to take a pill to be healed of their infirmities, while not realize it ALL fits together. How can a real physical healing take place while there is emptiness in the mind or spirit or soul.

There isn’t always a peer reviewed study for the way an herb is used, or the way prayer manifests healing or how human touch and empathy can touch another and miracles occur. I always step back a bit when I hear a nurse being critical about natural health/healing because there isn’t a “study” to back it up. It actually makes me sad for them…so analytical they can’t believe anything unless a study shows it to be true.

I recently found a book by Lissa Rankin, MD, in which she is a physician who went through a journey, similar to what I’m experiencing now. I’m deeply entrenched in learning of her journey and now the difference she is making in the arena of healing. The more I move forward in the arena of wellness, the more I’m connecting with others who are also on this journey. What has begun in individuals is now becoming a movement.

I’m taking my life back.

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Caring for Yourself

Caring for  yourself is just one subject I cannot get away from. Whether you are a nurse, going through a rough time, taking chemotherapy, or are a caregiver, one thing is for sure: taking care of yourself is a non-negotiable. I wanted to share a few ideas for self-care. I had originally written this for those going through chemotherapy. However, we all need to take time for our self care! This is for any one, especially caregivers!  This can be self, (we do care for ourselves, right), moms, grandma’s, nurses, dad’s, siblings, children (caring for parents), and any other role where you are expending energy to care for an individual.

The past several months I have been involved in adding education to my coaching skills as a nurse. The Wellness Inventory training has been awesome by way of having me look at how I care for myself. It’s one thing to take training to learn to be the best coach. What has made this training different is I am looking at me first. What an eye opener. I want to share a few small steps to help you start on the self-care journey.

Acknowledging

Taking time to acknowledge yourself as someone worthy to care for is a good place to start. Time after time I see caregivers totally deny their own care, while continuously at the bedside of a loved one. Take one minute right now, and acknowledge yourself as someone who is not being selfish by caring for your own self. What many caregivers fail to understand is when you don’t take time to refill, there is a time when the fuel runs out. You can’t run on empty. When you run on empty, your body will take from other vital places in yourself. When the crisis is over, all the areas neglected will cry out from the neglect and many times illness fills in the empty places. If you are the one receiving treatment, I have found many of my patients don’t take time just to be, or take thought for themselves. Often you carry a burden of being strong for others. Even in your own wellness journey you really neglect your own self. Above and beyond  medical treatment is the emotional, mental, and spiritual self care. Acknowledging these other aspects of wellness is vital. I also take time to acknowledge my relationship with God. It is in the still quiet moments I find peace like no other time.

Breathing

How often do you pay attention to your breathing? Get into a comfortable position. This may be in the recliner, on the bed, on the floor, the couch, or your most comfortable chair. Close your eyes and allow your mind to concentrate on your breathing. Notice how fast you are breathing. Notice how long your intake breath is and how long your output breath is. Where is your mind wandering to? Are you uncomfortable in just being still? If you notice your breathing feels restricted, readjust your position. Are you wearing clothes that allow non-restricted breathing? Try this for about a minute. After you are comfortable and relaxed with the process, then allow your mind to wander to something you have gratitude for. Think about gratitude for a few moments. Relax in the moment until you are ready, and then allow yourself to come back to the moment. How did this feel to you? Do you notice any difference in how you feel. You may feel resistance the first several times you try this. Don’t worry, you will start to look forward to it. We start every class with this exercise, and I now start every coaching session with this exercise. I personally go through this exercise when starting to feel I am in a stressful moment.

Consciousness

I wanted to convey awareness, so I found the word consciousness as a synonym for being aware. Take a walk and really become aware to your surroundings. Become aware to what you hear. Then pay attention to the smells. Look at details. Touch the grass, the leaves, the rocks. This may sound a little weird at first. This is just a simple exercise in awareness. You will be surprised at what you take for granted. Taking a walk is different than taking a walk to be aware. The next time you go to the grocery store, instead of checking off the items on the list and getting out as fast as you can, take a look at the people around you. Do they look happy? Smile at them. Watch children interact with their parents. Is there an elderly person there with an adult child helping them shop?  Is anyone in a wheelchair? Smell the bakery. Allow all your sense to experience the moment. This all actually ties in with gratitude, acknowledgment and awareness. The exercises mentioned are just to help you become aware of yourself and your surroundings.

Small Steps

These A,B,Cs’ I have just mentioned are a very small start in beginning self-care. Realizing the need to take better care of yourself can be overwhelming in itself. You are thinking “where do I start”? As suggested, just start with a few short exercises to increase your awareness. Acknowledge one or two areas in your life, pay attention to your breathing, and increase your consciousness. Just taking a few minutes to stop the hustle and bustle, the activity, and the noise is a great start.

I found as I took a spin on the Wellness Inventory wheel the areas I most neglected were that of breathing, and taking time for myself. This insight has been instrumental as I have started my own wellness journey. Any change takes a first step. The Wellness Inventory Wheel has helped me target areas of growth and enabled me to prioritize my own plan for change. Using this tool is so insightful. I would love to share this tool with you and help you start on prioritizing your own wellness journey.  I highly recommend this tool for any caregiver, and any person who is currently experiencing a wellness crisis.